Kiya Nancarrow

I have worked with clay for the past 20 years with the aim of conveying a sense of movement and energy. This has been based on a belief that energy passes through all things, both animate and inanimate; This imagined energy offers much in terms of potential form.

Recently I have begun working with Corten steel and mild steel which has a vast array of new challenges and delights. It enables me to work on a larger scale, giving more strength and presence to the form. I have been trialing both the natural oxidising of the steel as well as painting/sealing the forms. To date the pieces have been wall hung, mounted on plinths or free standing.

I hope that the viewer’s eye will flow around a piece with little sense of beginning, ending, or interruption.

Ceramic pieces:
My ceramic pieces are made with either stoneware clay or paper-clay. They are thrown on the wheel then altered by hand before an initial firing to 1100°C. The pieces are then painted and sprayed with an under-glaze and/or ‘terra sigallatta’ (clay slip) (applied using a compressor and spray gun) before a final firing, again
at 1100°C. Finally, a surface sealant is applied.
There is an intention with the work to create a sense of movement such that the viewer’s eye will move without interruption around the pieces. This sense of continuum is the thinking foundation of the work.
They are all individual one-offs.

Steel pieces:
The steel pieces are made with either mild steel or corten steel. They are bent on a purpose-built hydraulic press.

The painted pieces have been galvanised and powder-coated. Both are heat- based processes that ensure protection against rust, scratches and fading.

The corten steel pieces have oxidised to produce a rusty appearance. Once this oxide layer is established they do not continue to rust, as the special nature of the corten alloy seals the steel away from the atmosphere. Nevertheless, the corten pieces are designed to allow water to flow from them, preventing pooling.
It is advisable to gently brush away with water any bird droppings from the pieces, as they may leave a black stain. Otherwise they need no further care.

www.kiyanancarrow.com

Kiya Nancarrow in the media